The present invention relates to systems for protecting structures against deleterious contact with contact-actuated explosive devices, more particularly to systems which are for protecting surface water vessels against moored, detonation-by-contact explosive marine mines.
Explosive devices which are designed to be moored in the water and to be detonated upon contact with an enemy surface vessel have represented a longstanding and somewhat unresolved concern of naval entities. Various minesweeping systems have been utilized for neutralizing, removing or destroying these explosive marine mines.
At one time the United States Navy utilized a self-contained minesweeping system whereby a device which was attached to the bow of the surface ship would divert mines to the side; however, this system proved unsatisfactory and is no longer used by the U.S. Navy, as it failed to effectively protect against mines which were directly in the path of the ship.
Other self-contained minesweeping schemes utilized by the U.S. Navy in the past employed a remotely powered vehicle in front of the ship; however, these schemes were not entirely efficient in terms of cost, complexity, maintenance, reliability and fueling requirements.
Eventually the U.S. Navy discontinued the notion of autonomous, self-contained minesweeping systematization in favor of dependent minesweeping systematization whereby a minesweeping vessel leads other ships through mined or potentially mined waters. Although this latter system has proven effective in terms of protection it necessitates implementation of a specially designed minesweeping vehicle; hence, this dependency system is inherently self-limiting inasmuch as non-minesweeping vessels cannot hazard these dangerous waters on their own. It is therefore desirable to attain an effective and efficient minesweeping system which is a self-contained constituent of the vessel sought to be protected.